Three days
by Maevelynn
Summary: Hiya again! Maeve reunites with the crew under very complicated circumstances. They will have to deal with war, lies, courage, death, magic, love...Will the Nomad crew make it out alive? Read and review to find out!
1. The Raxons

**1. The Raxons**

Hundreds of red tents were spread on the green hills of Culdras. The night sky was covered by dark clouds, shielding the moon and the stars and the air was so damp, dew drops were already appearing on the grass.

The wind was whistling loudly outside, constantly blowing open the entrance of his tent. Flies were buzzing around his head and sticking to his dirty skin, but the dark haired man ignored them, closely studying his maps. Aware that the last few days had been rough on the moral of his men, he was trying to find a rapid short cut to Basra, eager to put his hands on the box… He could either lead his troupes through the Forest of Zangi or across the Al-Doula's desert. He had to figure out which way was the fastest and safest. He needed a rapid short cut…

Sako, his most loyal man, entered his tent. He stood in his usual proud stance, his blond hair held back by a black bandana. He began "The Sultan sent a warning, sir."

Zorak leaned back on his chair and grabbed his jug of ale, laughing cynically. "Really?" He replied with his husky voice, amused at the news his best man was bringing him. "What about it?" he asked before gulping the strong liquor down, his dark eyes inviting Sako to go on.

"He declared that if we keep moving and if we trespass on the south border, he would raise his army and force us to retreat." Sako answered, eying his chef closely for his reaction.

Zorak thoughtfully ran his fingers on the huge scar running across his left cheek. He stood up from his seat and looked down at his officer, dominating him with his imposing height. "Well then, let's surprise him!" he tossed his bottle away and ordered "Gather the men, Sako! We're leaving at dawn! We'll cross the Forest of Zangi…"

Sako immediately left the tent to spread the word. Zorak picked up his sword and ran his fingers along the blade, smiling evilly. By crossing the dense forest, they would reach Basra in approximately two weeks. Zorak knew it would be a longer journey than what he had intended but he could afford small delays, especially if it brought his troupes to the north border of Basra…


	2. Dreams

**2. ****Dreams**

"Land ho!"

The screaming sailors on deck woke him up. Sinbad tossed in his bed, trying to go back to the delicious dream he was having, but the noise up-deck was too thunderous. Nevertheless, he made one last attempt to shut his eyes and let his imagination finish what it had started. It was only an hour past dawn and there was already a big commotion on the Nomad, for the crew was sailing to Basra on the request of the sultan Omar. His hospitality was rather popular amongst the sailors because being his guests meant wine, music, and of course, women. The sultan was a good friend of Sinbad and the letter he had sent the captain was quite insistent, almost implying, as if something terrible had happened. Worried, Sinbad had immediately changed the course of the ship to head for Basra's port. The idea that something might have happened to his old friend was making the young captain nervous. He hoped everything was alright.

Reluctantly, Sinbad opened his eyes, giving up his fight to stay asleep, since it was hopeless. The person who haunted his sleep every night since a year had paid him a visit once again in an engulfing dream, among the many he had had about her. He always wished to never wake up again because that meant sinking back to the torturing reality. In his dreams, at least, she was there...He could smell the delicate scent of her fiery curls, he could let his fingers gently wander on her skin, he could feel the warmth of her lips brushing against his, he could hold her in his arms, he could...in his dreams.

God, how he missed her! He missed the sound of her voice, he missed her glaring gaze whenever he teased her, he missed their constant bickering, he missed their evening chats at the bow of the ship, hell, he even missed the comments of the crew, saying how stubborn they were for ignoring their feelings for each other. Every day, her absence was more and more unbearable. Life had been unfair to separate them so drastically, without giving them the chance to say goodbye. He never got to tell her how he much he cared, although he had never admitted his feelings even to himself before she was taken. And maybe she had been washed overboard for that reason…to punish them for not taking the chance they had had to be together…and now it was too late. They had both denied their feelings and their separation was a torture. It drove Sinbad mad to know he had to lose her to truly realize how much he loved her. Love! Yes. He loved her more than life itself and his pain increased every second his thoughts wandered to her. She was his other half, his soul mate. Without her, he would never feel complete again and Sinbad knew it. He needed her, and he needed her soon, or else he would be consumed by lust.

His craving for his beautiful sorceress had intensified a month ago when Scratch had used her as a bait to lure him into a trap. Hope and joy had blinded him when he had seen her face, so perfect, so real, within his reach. If only he knew where to find her, and Dim-Dim, but he wasn't even sure if they were in this world…

"Little brother, get up sleepy-head! We'll be docking in Basra in less then an hour!" Doubar's pounding fist on the door of his cabin brought Sinbad out of his reverie for good. "Coming…" he mumbled. He got up to his feet to put his shirt and bandana on. He splashed some cold water on his face to wake himself up a little bit and headed up deck.

Sailors were attending to their duties in a playful mood, humming tunes. Their happiness was almost suspicious. Rongar was at the tiller, Doubar was helping someone with the sails, Bryn was feeding Dermott (dame it! that bird was for sure not helping him to put the image of his tall red-headed beauty aside!) and Firouz was fixing a bunch of boxes together, his latest inventions, Sinbad supposed, that he intended to present to the sultan in return for his great hospitality.

"By Allah Firouz, you've been quite productive these last few weeks…" joked Sinbad.

To his surprise, his friend became uneasy and seemed to be searching for an answer. "Hum…you know…as time goes by…I've cumulated a lot of stuff and…and I figured you guys would get bored listening to all my scientific demonstrations…" Now he looked really nervous.

Sinbad crossed his arms and gave him a suspicious look: "Are you alright Firouz?"

Doubar immediately came to the scientist's rescue: "Little brother! Why don't you take the tiller so Rongar can eat something before we go ashore?"

Sinbad glanced quizzically at both of them, not knowing what to make out of their strange behaviour. Frowning, he went to take the tiller. Rongar handed her to him and gave him a pat on the shoulder with a smile and a look that said "Hold on, it's almost over…"

Puzzled, Sinbad looked back to his friends and he noticed Bryn whispering to Firouz: "Try to act more subtly or else he'll suspect something…"

*What's got into them?* Sinbad thought to himself, glancing at his crewmembers. He shook his head, choosing to ignore them and brought his attention to the port of Basra, approaching slowly while he let his mind drift off to his Celtic dream once again...

***********************

The sun was high in the sky when the Nomad arrived at Basra, but the presence of many battleships was causing a lot of circulation near the port. Therefore, it was impossible for Sinbad's ship to go ashore, at least not before sunset. It took several endless hours of negotiations and careful navigation in order for the Nomad to finally be able to dock properly.

When Sinbad's exhausted crew entered the city, their new regained cheerfulness quickly disappeared. The shadow of a war seemed to be flying above the desolated town and Sinbad's worries increased even more at the sight of his surroundings. The atmosphere was tense; the villagers seemed suspicious and scared and there were many soldiers strolling down the empty streets. No one was smiling and every now and then, you could hear guards roughly barking orders to their subordinates.

"Something is wrong here." said Bryn, letting Dermott scout ahead. "I don't like it."

"You're right." Sinbad declared, anxiously gazing around him. "It looks to me like a major battle is coming…"

"That must be why Omar called upon us." said Doubar, assisting Firouz who was struggling with his boxes.

"Aye." replied Sinbad. "And I hope we're not too late…" He gave his crewmembers a worried glance. They all nodded confidently and walked silently in the direction of the palace, eager to get some answers…

************************

They reached the castle when it was almost dark and they were unexpectedly welcomed by Omar himself: "HA! Sinbad, I'm happy to see you and your friends made it on time safe and sound!" He immediately led the crew down a long hall, with a massive door at the end of it.

"We were granted with calm waters and strong winds your highness" replied Sinbad trotting behind the sultan to catch up with him, his friends close by, helping Firouz who was desperately trying to manage the transportation of his many boxes. "Your letter let us believe you were in need of help, so we hurried here…" Sinbad was about to mention the war float and the soldiers they had witnessed earlier in the city but Omar cut him off.

"Ha yes! The letter! I'm glad it had the desired effect! It would have been a disaster if you hadn't showed up at the party…" Omar sped up his pacing and we could now hear the sound of music, people chatting and laughing and the tingling sound of glass on the other side of the door.

Sinbad turned around to give his friends a questioning look but they just put on innocent smiles. They were obviously hiding something from him. He turned back to the sultan.

"Party? What part-" Sinbad didn't have the time to formulate his question for Omar opened the door. Everyone except Sinbad seemed to hold their breath.

"SURPRISE!"

Sinbad's mouth dropped to the floor as he discovered a huge reception room filled with many familiar faces cheering in front of him. Serendib, Tetsu, Cairpra, Turan and Jail, Jullaner, Shirez, Talia, Eyolf, Prince Casib and his wife Athena, were just a few among them. He just stood there in front of everyone, stunned, wondering what this was all about.

Doubar came up behind him and happily declared "Happy birthday little brother!" He then embraced him in a bear hug.

When Sinbad could breath again, the realisation hit him in the face. How could he have forgotten such a thing as his own birthday?


	3. Lost and found

**3. Lost and found**

The reception was a total success. Everybody was having the time of his life. There was an immense table filled with exotic meals and Doubar made sure to try them all out, there was a big crowded dance floor entertained by a group of musicians, there was even a small area where men and women could challenge each other in single combats and Rongar was perpetually winning.

Bryn and Firouz were sitting at the sultan's table laughing and joking with Tetsu and Dim-Dim's wife, Cairpra.

"I can't believe our plan worked!" Bryn exclaimed while taking a sip of her wine.

"Point of fact, it was only a matter of subtlety and synchronised organisation." Firouz added.

"Yeah! I'm sure you had a big part to play on subtlety, right Firouz?" replied Bryn, teasing his friend about what had happened this morning. They burst into laughter.

"Well I'm glad to see Sinbad's having a good time. He deserves it." Tetsu began "He's changed so much in one year…There's something missing in his eyes…" he thoughtfully glanced at the captain across the room, chatting with Turan and Jail. "Do you think it has something to do with the redhead's departure?" He turned his head back to Bryn and Firouz.

Firouz sighed and gave a knowing look to Cairpra. "Aye, my friend. But Sinbad doesn't want us to talk about her." Tetsu nodded, understanding.

Looking down, the scientist let his mind wander to the sorceress. Her loss hadn't affected him as much as Sinbad but he missed her presence nevertheless. He smiled sadly as he recalled their many differences on science and magic.

Seeing the distant look on her friend's face, Bryn decided to stay quiet. She knew very little on the sorceress who used to sail with the crew before she joined the Nomad. However, as time went by, she could see that her presence was dearly missed. Bryn was curious to meet the woman whose absence seemed to cause so much pain and sorrow to her friends.

At the mention of her husband's apprentice, Cairpra turned her attention to the young captain who was now having a friendly battle with Prince Casib in the fighting area. He looked exactly the same as the last time she had seen him, with his boyish features and kindness of heart, but the old sorceress could discern a trace of darkness in his eyes, a shadow that seemed to have made him forget everything life was worth living for. Something seemed to be missing…Her answer wasn't hard to find. If anybody knew Sinbad the least bit, they would know.

At the same time, Sinbad was trying to spend some time with everybody so he was constantly walking from the dance floor to the fighting area and from the food section to the tables. Discussing with his old friends gave Sinbad the opportunity to know what they were becoming, what were their projects for the future, but in the end it turned out to be an emotionally painful task because he repeatedly had to answer the ONE question that kept piercing his heart with a dagger.

He balled his hands into fists and made a huge attempt not to scream when Eyolf demanded: "Where is she?"

Luckily for him (or unfortunately), somebody grabbed him by the head at that moment and pulled him in a passionate kiss. Sinbad immediately recognised who it was by the brutality of the move. Talia.

"Hey, handsome!"

"Hello yourself, Talia!" replied Sinbad, still recovering from her breathless kiss. *God, I hate it when she does that!* he thought.

"So, enjoying the party?" she asked, nudging his arm with her elbow.

"I still can't believe I didn't see it coming!" he said looking at the smiles curving everybody's lips. "This is definitely a night I won't forget!"

The Pirate Queen took a step closer to him. "Well…I didn't bring any gifts, but perhaps if you pay me a visit tonight, I could take The Masters of the Seven Seas to the stars…" She tugged at his belt and prepared to engulf him in another kiss, but for a second time that night, Sinbad was saved from the situation. Omar was asking for silence, obviously for a speech, so all heads turned to him. He was now standing on a small podium.

"First of all, I would like to thank you all for your attendance to this festivity." he began. "I understand some had a longer journey to make than others in order to get here in time, but your presence warmed many hearts tonight, especially captain Sinbad's." A servant came and whispered something to the sultan, who went on: "I believe it is time for the presents opening. Who shall go first?"

Sinbad's companions stepped forward, each one holding one of the boxes Firouz had been carrying all day long.

"We couldn't possibly celebrate our captain's birthday without giving him some presents…"the scientist explained. The mystery of his crewmembers' strange behaviour was now elucidated.

Sinbad had never seen so many gifts in his life, less again that were all destined to him and the crew. He received new clothes, new boots, a huge map of the world, brand new navigation equipments and some people even offered him new furniture for the Nomad. The young captain was now fully realizing how lucky he was. He had marvellous companions, a ship sailing the world, allies he could count on…! What more could he ask for? Still, he couldn't help to feel a little selfish. True, he had everything a person could wish for, but he longed for something else, something his heart was desperately screaming for. Her. Sinbad was encircled by love and friendship, and yet her absence was tearing his heart apart. But he couldn't possibly let it show, not tonight. *The show must go on.* he thought, trying to cheer himself up.

Suddenly, Omar embarked on another speech. He stepped on his podium again to get a better view and declared: "Now that everybody has had the chance to offer Sinbad their gifts, I suppose it is now my time to do so."

Sinbad stood up from his chair: "Great Omar, I truly appreciate what you've done for me, all of you…really, you have no idea how overwhelmed I feel right now…but please you don't have to-"

"My dear friend, do not worry." continued the sultan. "It is my pleasure tonight to give the one thing I'm convinced you least expected. Besides, this present is not only destined to you, but to your entire crew, as well as Caipra."

Doubar, Firouz, Rongar and Bryn exchanged questioning looks while Cairpra smiled knowingly to Omar who winked to her. Through gritted teeth, Sinbad whispered to his crew, who had gathered around him: "Don't tell me you knew about this…" They all shook their heads, each of them having no idea what the sultan was talking about.

Omar looked at Sinbad: "Happy birthday my friend!"

"Let them in!" he ordered his servant standing at the huge wooden door.

The entire room was plunged in a shocked silence as an old man, all dressed in white, walked in the room, giving rhythm to his march with his staff. His traits had aged but his walk was still as proud and noble. His small eyes had wrinkled, yet you could easily detect all the affection and goodness emanating from them.

The Nomad crew stood there too stunned to react. Doubar was the only one who managed to mumble "It couldn't be…" Sinbad on the other hand, was lost in his thoughts. His head was spinning. His long lost mentor, Dim-Dim, who had been a father to him, was right in front of him. In a heart beat, Sinbad went to hug his old friend, quickly followed by his big brother.

"Master Dim-dim!" Sinbad exclaimed while taking him in his arms.

Returning the embrace, Dim-Dim said "Sinbad my boy!"

Doubar then circled them both with his big arms and happily declared: "By Allah! We thought we'd never see you again!"

Firouz, Rongar and Bryn watched the reunion, deciding to wait a little bit before welcoming the magician, giving Sinbad and Doubar some privacy since they weren't as familiar with him as the brothers were.

The young captain shut his eyes close, hoping this wasn't a dream. Did this mean the curse had been lifted? How had he escaped? Was he back for good? Wait. Where was she? Sinbad panicked and opened his eyes. His heart skipped a beat. He stopped breathing. She was there, standing a few feet away behind his master. Their eyes locked.

"Maeve…" Sinbad whispered.


	4. Reunion

**4. Reunion**

No, he wasn't dreaming. He couldn't be. He let go of Dim-Dim and in a split of second he had closed the gap between them, crashing her to his body. One of his arms was wrapped around her waist and the other was holding her head close to his. Time had stopped. The rest of the world didn't exist anymore. Thousands of feelings were running through Sinbad's body. Happiness, relief, love… He couldn't believe it. He couldn't think straight. Flashes of her falling overboard were blinding him, yet she was here, in his arms. The warmth of Maeve's body against his was the only thing that convinced him he wasn't dreaming. Sinbad slowly relaxed in her embrace, tightening his hold on her as he breathed in her scent again. He had so many questions to ask, so many things he wanted to say, but right now, he just wanted to feel her. She was back, and that's all that mattered.

Maeve's head was spinning. She had imagined their reunion a thousand times in her head and she never would have thought it to happen like this, at least not in those circumstances. It felt so good, so right, to be in his arms, like it was where she belonged. God, how she had missed him! His eyes, his smile, his voice…She had longed for them for what seemed like forever. She cursed herself silently. When she had stepped onboard the Nomad for the first time, Maeve had promised herself not to form any bond with any members of the crew. Getting close to anybody had definitely been out of the question since she wanted to focus her energies on killing Rumina to restore her brother. That had been her plan. Short, simple and strictly business. But she had fallen in love…and she had met the most amazing friends she could ever wish for. Finally, she was home. To the crew, her family.

But no she wasn't. This was a mistake. They never should have come back. This was all wrong and Maeve knew it. She wanted to scream her pain to the world. Sinbad was going to be so devastated when he found out… The crew would be so disappointed in her…God, things were going to get pretty ugly after tonight. But until Maeve and her master told them the truth, she had to wear a mask. She had to pretend, for his sake and the crew's. Since Dim-Dim and her had agreed to make their revelation tomorrow, not to ruin the party, Maeve had to lie. She didn't know how long she was going to be able to though…

The couple, lost in each other, was brought back to reality by Doubar's cheerful voice: "Little brother, leave some for us!"

"Doubar!" Maeve exclaimed, taking the opportunity to put some space between her and Sinbad.

The big man took her in his arms: "Lass, it's so good to see you!"

"I missed you too, tubby!" she teased him. Seeing how happy and relieved her friends seemed to see her, Maeve slowly realized how hard it was going to be to keep her mask on.

Then she went to hug Firouz. "Welcome back my dear!" he said to her warmly.

Maeve swallowed hard and forced a smile. *God, if they knew…*

Then came Rongar's turn. The moor kissed her hand and hugged her affectionately. "Always the gentleman…" Maeve said as she returned his embrace.

Suddenly, a loud screech was heard as Dermott happily flew down a window to greet his long lost mistress.

Bryn then took the opportunity to hand her brown glove to the tall redhead. "I think this belongs to you." She said, smiling.

Maeve smiled back at the petite brunette as she took her glove so Dermott could perch on her arm. As she sat down on a nearby chair, stroking his feather, the crew realized that a silent conversation was going on between the sorceress and her hawk. Giving them some privacy, they all turned their heads to Master Dim-Dim, who was lovingly holding Cairpra.

Sinbad watched the happy faces of his friends. Could it be that everything was finally back to normal? He turned to his mentor for an answer but before he could ask anything, Dim-Dim, who had noticed all the questioning looks, declared: "A time for everything my friends. For tonight, let's just celebrate Sinbad's birthday." Sinbad nodded to him and joined his cheerful crew, who perfectly understood the meaning of the old man's words.

All of a sudden, Dermott let out a high screech and took off. The crew turned their attention to their sorceress. She had a pained and guilty look on her face.

Almost immediately, noticing the concerned looks of her friends, Maeve quickly stood up, managing a smile.

"Well come on guys! Let's celebrate!" she declared, a bitter taste in the back of her throat.

The Nomad crew all cheerfully sat together at the sultan's table. Bryn was the only one who had felt Dermott's anger and sorrow as he had flipped his wings, but she chose to shut up, deciding it was none of her business.

Maeve locked eyes with Dim-Dim for a split of second, both of them silently agreeing to keep the masquerade up until tomorrow.


	5. Masquerade

**5. Masquerade**

"Guys…If looks could kill, Sinbad would have killed Eyolf at least three times since the Lass returned." Doubar whispered to the crew. They all chuckled at the sight of Sinbad glaring at the dance floor where Maeve and Eyolf were having a little bit too much fun for his liking.

"Little brother, would you sit down for a second? Your pacing is driving me crazy!" the big man declared, both amused and annoyed. Sinbad growled as he looked at his brother, shaking his head.

He hadn't even had a chance to spend some time with Maeve yet. Every time he tried to get close to her, it's as if she knew he was coming. She would quickly engage someone in a conversation or disappear in the crowd. Sinbad was getting tired of her little game. Somehow, he felt that she was hiding something from him and he wanted some answers. God, he had so many things to tell her. When the song finished, the young captain didn't lose a minute and went straight to the dance floor, hoping to separate Maeve and Eyolf.

When Maeve saw Sinbad making his way to the dance floor over Eyolf's shoulder, she panicked. True, she had been avoiding him all night, because she couldn't bring herself to look at him. Every time she gazed in his sea-blue eyes, pain and guilt shot through her body. She felt even worse because she was using Eyolf to get away. She had already danced with him twice and now she feared he might be getting the wrong idea.

"Well, I didn't know Norsemen could dance!" She smiled at him, glancing at Sinbad who was getting dangerously close to them. "Hum…Why don't we go-" But it was too late.

"Hey I'm sorry to interrupt, but could I borrow your partner for at least just one dance, Eyolf?" Sinbad didn't mean to sound rude, but at this point, there was no way he was going to miss his chance at getting to spend some time with his sorceress. HIS sorceress.

"Of course. It's your birthday after all." Eyolf said, smiling at Maeve and slowly walking away.

Meanwhile, the crew had gathered at the main table. Rongar tapped on Firouz's shoulder and pointed at the dance floor where Maeve and Sinbad were standing face to face.

"Well, this is going to be very interesting." said Firouz while he filled everybody's glass.

"Aye, just like the good old days…" Doubar answered, sitting more comfortably to enjoy the view.

Bryn watched the trio as they impatiently waited for the music to start, wondering what would happen between their captain and sorceress.

"Why?" she took a chance asking. She could clearly see there was something going on between Sinbad and Maeve, but she wanted to hear her friends' comments.

Doubar leaned his head towards her and began: "Well, if you think Sinbad is the all-time brave and courageous evil-fighting captain as you know him to be, you'll discover tonight that when it comes to the Celtic Lass, he loses it. You've seen him kiss a girl in every port and you've seen him play the confident seducer, but when it comes to Maeve, Sinbad is just as insecure and scared as a teenage boy would be. In front of her, he would never have dared to play Casanova with other women-"

"Yeah, he would have been fried by one of her fireballs!" Firouz exclaimed. They all burst into laughter.

"Anyway, the point is, everybody knows how they feel for each other except them. Those two are so stubborn…" Doubar said, obviously lost in some memories. He recalled the endless bickering between his brother and the Celtic sorceress. Sometimes, they could avoid each other for a whole day because they were too stubborn to apologize and admit the other was right. But what Doubar would always be amazed at, was the ability Maeve had to keep his brother in line. As his mind wandered to all the girls his brother had spent the night with at every port, he winced at the thought of what Maeve would have done to those hussies…Then again, if she hadn't left, Sinbad never would have had so many one-night stands.

Bryn smiled at the big man. So there was another side of her captain that she hadn't seen yet. She was curious to meet that other Sinbad.

Back on the dance floor, Maeve and Sinbad were just staring at each other, neither of them knowing what to do. When the music began, it changed to a more romantic and more sensual rhythm. Couples were gathering around them. When Maeve broke their eye contact to nervously gaze around her, Sinbad took a deep breath and asked "Would you do me the honour?" and he extended his hand to her.

Maeve looked at his hand, then back to his eyes. She couldn't do it. This was all wrong. How could she to this to him? Her head was yelling for her to run away as fast as she could but her body's longing decided otherwise. She slipped her hand in his "Of course."

Sinbad hesitantly brought his arm around her waist and pulled her closer while Maeve's free hand went to rest on his shoulder. For both their sakes, they tried to keep a couple of inches between their bodies as they began moving together on the music's soft rhythm. Sooner than they had envisioned, the gap between them closed, their bodies slightly brushing. The couple became aware of the fact that never before had they been so close to each other, to the point when they could actually feel the other's heartbeat.

Sinbad, lost in the redhead's brown eyes, was desperately looking for something to say, anything that would ease the building tension between them. Hell, he hadn't seen her for a year! What was he supposed to say? He decided to be honest…

"I missed you." whispered Sinbad, tightening his hold on her "You're finally back." he leaned his forehead on hers.

Maeve swallowed hard "I missed you too." She whispered back but as she felt a mental break down coming, she quickly changed the subject, not yet ready to be intimate with her captain, at least not until he knew the truth, and even then….

"I'm sorry I don't have any gift…I didn't exactly have time to shop…" she laughed nervously, looking around her for some sort of support.

As he felt her slipping away from him again, Sinbad took her chin between his index and his thumb and forced her to look at him while he said in a dead serious tone "Maeve, you returning to me tonight is the most wonderful present you could give me."

Maeve felt the tears coming up, but she refused to let them fall. Their lips were almost touching. She could feel his warm breath on her face. What kind of monster was she? What right did she have to put him through this? Maeve was going to break her captain's heart, but before she could say anything to end her own suffering, their lips touched.

Sinbad kissed her slowly and gently at first, remembering how good and right it felt. He swore to himself he would never let Maeve out of his sight again, ever. He had died the night she had fallen overboard and there was no way he was going to let it happen again. He simply refused to go back to the dark place her loss had inflicted upon his soul. He cupped her face with his hand to gain better access to her mouth but was surprised to find her cheek all wet.

At the same time, thousands of emotions were rushing through Maeve's body. Love, desire, guilt, pain, rage…She kissed him back even though she knew she shouldn't. She wanted this so baldly. She would give everything she had to just give in and let him love her as much as she loved him, but she couldn't. He deserved so much more than the love she feared she would probably never be able to give him. Her knees buckled, but luckily, Sinbad's strong arm was supporting her. When the kiss intensified and when their tongues met, Maeve lost it. Small tears came running down her face and she became to sob. She couldn't take it anymore…

Breaking the kiss suddenly "I'm so sorry…" she stepped back from her shaken up captain and ran away from the dance floor, disappearing in the garden.

Sinbad just stood there, staring at where she had been standing seconds ago, her beautiful face teary and pained. He could still feel her warm and wet lips against his. Something was definitely wrong with her. He could feel it. She was hiding something from him and he was determined, now more then ever, to find out what it was. He ran out after her.

Back at the main table, the Nomad crew had seen everything.

"What do you think happened?" Firouz asked, concern filling his voice.

His eyes fixed on the direction his brother and Maeve had run off to, Doubar answered "I don't know, but if they aren't back soon, we better check on them."

Bryn, on the other hand, was studying Dim-Dim. When Maeve had left the room in a hurry, the old man had watched her and Sinbad intently, as if he had been pondering something. Bryn concluded that he had the answer to Maeve's sudden departure. Nevertheless, she didn't say anything. She decided to wait to see how things would work out, and if they didn't, she would bring it on the subject.

Meanwhile, Dim-Dim and Cairpra, who knew about her husband's secret, were discussing what would be their next step.

"Do you think he knows?" asked the sorceress.

"Not yet. But I'm afraid he is about to find out. Maeve is breaking down, so it won't be long before she tells him the truth." Dim-Dim let out a sight before continuing "I should have listened to her. We never should have come back. We're putting them in an unbearable situation…"

"You did what needed to be done, in order to help the sultan. Don't forget you came back to help him..." Dim-Dim smiled warmly at his wife, mentally preparing himself to confront Sinbad and his crew.


	6. The truth

**6****. The truth**

When Sinbad entered the garden, he found Maeve sitting on the edge of the fountain. She was holding her head in her hands, trying to get a grip on herself. Sinbad felt a tinge of relief when he noticed she had stopped crying, although he could still feel that something was terribly wrong. He walked to her slowly and sat beside her. Sinbad had never seen her like this…she looked so confused and so lost and so devastated…it broke his heart.

Maeve, who knew her captain would follow her outside, felt his presence as soon as he stepped in the garden. She stayed completely still as he sat down next to her, refusing to look at him. The sorceress knew he had questions but she doubted she would be able to answer any of them without breaking into tears again. And she hated it when he saw her like this, so vulnerable…Maeve breathed in deeply, getting a hold on herself, yet she felt all her forces and confidence leave her again as she realized she had to keep going on like this until tomorrow.

Sinbad, noticing she was somewhat steadier and calmer now, took a deep breath and began slowly. "I'm sorry." That was a lie and deep down he was well aware of it.

He gazed at the water, sparkling under the moon's rays. His thoughts drifted to the passionate kiss they had shared only minutes ago. Sinbad knew he never should have kissed her like that but he was so overwhelmed by her return that he had difficulty to cope with everything that was going on. He wanted to tell her how much her absence had affected him, how much it had hurt him and tortured him every damn day. And, as desperate as he had been to admit his feelings to her before he lost her again (*Wait, she was back. She wasn't going anywhere.* He thought, brushing those useless worries aside. Then why was it that he was scared to death to lose her all over again?) the only way he had found to express those feelings to her had been to kiss her. Though he knew he should regret his actions since she looked so devastated, Sinbad couldn't help to wish for a kiss like that to repeat itself. God, he had never wanted her so badly, and strangely, something in his gut told him he was running out of time. But he made a huge effort to slow down his inner impulse. First, he needed to know what was bothering her so much since her return.

"Maeve…" He put a hand on her shoulder, trying to make her open up to him.

Standing suddenly, Maeve declared "I'm fine. I…I just feel a little dizzy, that's all. I guess I had too much wine…" she ran a hand through her hair, letting out a nervous laugh.

She was doing it again, avoiding him. In other circumstances, maybe Sinbad would have believed her, but seeing as she couldn't look at him directly in the eye more than five seconds since her return, he didn't.

"I don't buy it, Maeve." He said calmly, standing up as well. "And you didn't drink anything…" he pointed out, taking a step closer to her "What is it that you're not telling me?" he asked. He knew she wasn't the kind to open up easily but he felt that her silence was somehow related to him and he was willing to find out what she was hiding from him. What was she afraid of?

"Nothing!" Maeve snapped. She was so mad at herself that she was letting out her anger on Sinbad. When she and Dim-dim had argued on whether they should come back or not, she had known something like this would happen. She had known that all the barriers that she had put up between her and her captain would shatter as soon as she crossed his gaze again. But now it was too late. She had to face the consequences of their actions, even if it meant breaking Sinbad's heart. And hers too, as a matter of fact. This was so unfair. *It shouldn't have happened this way…* she thought angrily.

"Why are you lying to me?" Now, Sinbad was losing his nerves. He didn't mean to sound so rude but heck, he felt as if the only way he could break through to her was to shout at her. She could trust him, couldn't she? He didn't understand what was going on. She was finally back and yet, as seconds passed by, his world was somehow shattering again.

"I'm not!" Maeve lied, staring straight at him, but she quickly looked away, aware that he didn't believe her. "Let's go back inside, we're missing the party." She had the urgent need to go back to the crowed festive room. If she stayed here any longer, alone with her captain, she would lose it…

As she started to leave, Sinbad grabbed her arm and spun her around "I don't care about the party right now, Maeve!" as much as he tried to remain calm, he was growing more and more annoyed to be left out in the dark. He tightened his grip on her. "You may have been gone for a year, woman, but you're no stranger to me." Maeve flinched at his sudden tone of voice. She had never heard him sound more serious about anything else. He went on "You're not fine! Now, trust me I know how you're like when you're fine! You're bossy and stubborn, you're glaring at me or shouting at me, you're laughing and joking…But tonight…" he paused, his voice softening"…you look broken Maeve, you look like the fire burning inside you has gone out… And you expect me to just celebrate and pretend like I don't care?"

Maeve looked at the floor. She couldn't bring herself to look at him in the eyes, afraid her mask would fall down. "Please, Sinbad…" she whispered, tears blurring her vision.

"No" he said firmly. Cupping her face with his hand, he forced her to look at him. "I want to know what's wrong with you." The only way Sinbad could erase her pain was if she told him what was causing it. He gently caressed her cheek with his thumb "Captain's orders."

Maeve closed her eyes and covered his hand with hers, leaning on his touch. A tear rolled down her cheek. She couldn't do this anymore…He had the right to know…She was so tired of lying to him and everybody else…She gave up (something she rarely did) and in a small shaking voice, looking directly in his sea-blue eyes, Maeve whispered "I'm not coming back…"

Sinbad frowned, not understanding what she meant. Color slowly drained from his face as the eventuality of her not returning to the Nomad after tonight paralysed him. He took a step back. When he found his voice again, he hesitantly asked "Wha…what do you mean you're not coming back?" praying to god he had misunderstood her.

Maeve put her hand on his forearm in an attempt to ease his shock, angrily brushing her tears away with the other. "I'm sorry…" She bit her lips to hold back her sobs.

Sinbad tore himself away from her shaking form, needing some space all of a sudden. He couldn't believe it. He refused to. Two hours ago, he had been consumed by the joy of seeing her again, realising he was about to have another chance with her. From the moment he had kissed her on the dance floor, he had chosen to no longer deny his feelings for her and he wished for nothing more than to shout at her how much he loved and that he couldn't live without her. And now, he found himself in the most dreadful situation he had ever had to face in his life. He was going to lose her all over again. Sinbad forced himself to calm down, thinking that he had maybe interpreted her words in a wrong way but when he looked up at her face, the mirror of his own pain, he knew. She wasn't coming back.

"What do you mean you're not coming back?!?" Doubar exclaimed. The crew had gathered in the garden just in time to hear Maeve's revelation.

Unable to speak, Maeve looked at them, defeated. Dim-Dim and Cairpra appeared behind the crew cautiously.

"I believe it is time for us to tell you the real reason of our sudden return." The old wizard carefully addressed the whole Nomad crew. "Come" He went back inside, followed by Doubar, Firouz and Rongar, all stunned and shaken. Bryn and Cairpra followed suite, leaving a shattered couple behind.

Maeve and Sinbad stared at each other for a long time. A guilty and teary look opposed to a lost and confused one.


	7. Pandora's Box

**7****. Pandora's box**

Omar gathered the Nomad crew inside his headquarters. The crew silently came to the conclusion that since his presence was required, he obviously had a part to play in Dim-Dim and Maeve's return. Everybody sat around a big long table, at the center of which drinks were at their disposition, placed in the middle of the room. Maeve and Sinbad were sitting on opposite sides, facing each other. Maps and weapons were covering the walls and a huge chandelier was hanging from the ceiling right above their heads, providing them a pleasant dim light. The room was clearly one for battle strategies, political decisions and other important matters that needed to be discussed.

"First of all, my sincere apologies to you Sinbad." The sultan began. "This discussion should have occurred only tomorrow, not to spoil the party, but…" he stopped as he saw the pained and guilty look on the redhead's face. He went on "The letter I sent to you a month ago was indeed meant to draw you here for the party, but I'm afraid I really need your help after all. You see, Basra has always been a peaceful city, with strong and resistant fortresses and absolutely no enemies whatsoever, but I fear that time is close to an end." Omar got up and nervously started to pace around the table. "A tribe of barbaric brutes are closing in on us on the south border, threatening to invade Basra at any moment." He paused to look at the crew, who had managed, with great effort and will-power, to put aside their concern about the Maeve-not-returning-home situation. They were all closely listening to him, curious to see where this was going. "Those men are called the Raxons, a nomadic tribe travelling from place to place and burning down every village standing in their way. They kill and enslave without pity and every year, they grow in proportions. I've followed their whereabouts closely for about a month and they seemed to be wandering west. Unfortunately, two weeks ago, one my spies discovered that the Raxons's intentions were to attack Basra. They are making their way here as we speak but my men lost track of them some place near the hills of Culdras. Now, I've secured Basra's south border and sent the tribe a serious warning but I'm afraid that won't stop them from attacking. The Raxons are strong and cunning. They won't rest until they get what they want."

"And what is that?" Sinbad asked. He was trying very hard to concentrate on what the sultan was saying but he kept meeting Maeve's gaze and his thoughts would wander to her and her possible departure.

The sultan walked to one of the numerous maps hanging on the walls. He pressed his hand on one of the stone walls and the map opened like a door. He disappeared inside the hidden room and came back holding a rectangular box made out of glass. A golden aura was emanating from it and ancient runes were engraved in the crystalline material.

"This, my friend, is what they're after." The sultan declared. All eyes turned to him, puzzled. "Pandora's Box." Then, Omar turned his head to Caipra so she could go on with the magical explanations.

"First of all," she began "know that in the Greek mythology, gods and goddesses fought and betrayed each other all the time. That was their way of living. One day, Zeus, the gods' supreme ruler, wished to take vengeance on Prometheus who had stolen the fire from heaven. To do so, Zeus ordered Hephaestus, god of craftsmanship, to forge a very beautiful and attractive woman that he would present to Prometheus' brother, Epimetheus, so he could claim her as his wife. The woman was called Pandora and Zeus entrusted her with a golden sealed box, which she was not to open under any circumstances. When Pandora and Epimetheus married, Prometheus became more and more suspicious of Zeus' gift to the newlyweds and tried to warn his brother, but in vain. Pandora, devoured by curiosity, opened the box."

"What was in it?" asked Firouz, inquisitive.

"Pure evil" Cairpra answered. Everybody tensed at the table, mistrustfully eying the box.

The old sorceress continued "By opening it, Pandora unleashed its content. Evil spread over the earth, plunging humanity in discord. She tried to close it but it was no use." She paused for a minute, studying her audience's reaction.

"So if evil was unleashed, what's in the box now?" asked Doubar, not too fond of sitting next to such a demonic source.

"The gods were able to trap evil inside it again, but they were unable to destroy it. Therefore, they gave the box to someone worthy of trust for its protection. Every time the owner feels his time has come, he passes it to its next rightful owner."

"Who's the owner now?" asked Sinbad, thoughtful.

"I am." Announced the sultan. "An old woman came to me and ended me the box about a month ago, telling me I had to guard it and keep it sealed. I turned to Caipra for assistance and when I learned what the box was all about, I vowed to protect it with my life and that's exactly what I intend to do. But I cannot do it alone." He paused and looked at Sinbad. "That's why I called upon Dim-Dim's help…You being here for your birthday party is a mere coincidence…but I could use your help too my friend." He sighed. "But you've done so much for Basra already, I cannot ask you to risk your crew's life to fight off the Raxons."

Sinbad stood up from his chair and put his hand on Omar's shoulder confidently "Your highness, you know you can count on our support at any time…" the captain gazed at his crewmembers who all nodded, silently agreeing to defend the city of Basra. His eyes then fell upon Dim-Dim and Maeve "…as soon as we deal with some of our own problems."

The sultan clasped Sinbad's hand and grabbed Pandora's Box to put it back inside the secret room. "Very well then, I believe you have some things to work out. I'll meet you all again tomorrow morning with General Llandon, Basra's first Knight." Omar then left the room, leaving the Nomad crew to face their inseparable situation.


	8. Countdown

**8.****Countdown**

When the sultan closed the door behind him, the room was plunged in a dreadful silence. Everyone was lost in their thoughts, in either old memories of Maeve on the Nomad or what it would be like if she didn't return. Nobody knew what to say, afraid of the answer they would get if they asked anything. The crew, who had faced so many dangers and fought off evil so many times, simply didn't know how to cope with the situation. They felt like they had absolutely no control on the matter.

Sinbad felt like a time bomb, threatening to explode under the pressure at any minute. He was fighting off the urge he had to just yell everything that was on his mind at the moment. He felt so desperate. His hands were balled into fist and since he felt like he couldn't suppress his anger and despair anymore, he got up and paced the room anxiously, breathing deeply to calm himself down.

Maeve was silently toying with the extremity of her sleeves, avoiding the gaze of everybody. Consumed by guilt, she had no desire to confront her friends and officially announce them she'd be leaving once again. Though she wasn't emotionally ready to speak yet, the silence was dangerously becoming unbearable.

"Alright enough of this non-sense! Lass, what's going on?" grumpily asked Doubar, whose mind was going crazy at the sight of his devastated brother.

Maeve looked up at the big man who had become like a big brother to her and opened her mouth to speak but Dim-Dim beat her to it, saving her from the pain that was already devouring her.

"When Cairpra learned that the Raxons were after Pandora's Box, she immediately contacted me, aware that if the box fell into the wrong hands, it could mean the end of the world as we know it." Dim-Dim stopped and glanced at Sinbad, who had somehow managed to calm down a bit, but the old man knew it was only a matter of time before the young captain lost it. He continued "We, along with Maeve, combined our powers to create a portal that would allow us to come into your world again and be shielded from evil during our stay. Therefore, we are invisible to the dark forces at work. Nobody knows we're out in the open…"

"Wait-" Sinbad interrupted. This didn't make any sense to him. "If you managed to escape, why did Maeve tell me she wasn't coming back?" His voice was accusatory but he avoided any visual contact with her, even though his question was directed at her.

Dim-Dim lowered his head, trying to choose his words carefully. "That's because, my boy, the spell we cast is only temporary. At one point, its effect will fade and our presence here will no longer be hidden. When our time runs out, a portal will reappear and we'll have to cross it again if we wish to stay alive…"

"How long do you have?" asked Doubar carefully, aware that the wizard's answer could be very dangerous. The crew eyed their captain worriedly, afraid of his reaction to whatever answer Dim-Dim was going to give, since he was already on the verge of breaking down. Bryn had never seen him so upset and it scared her.

Maeve lowered her head, refusing to witness how Sinbad would react since it would only hurt her more.

"Three days." Dim-Dim answered, holding his breath.

As his words sank in, the room was once again plunged in a dreadful silence. All the shoulders fell down as everybody pondered the consequences of this short amount of time.

Sinbad felt like somebody had just stabbed him in the heart. Three days! That's all they had?!? Shocked, feeling dizzy all of a sudden, Sinbad grabbed the back of his chair and leaned on it, letting his head fall between his shoulders. He was completely lost. This was a real nightmare. How was he supposed to deal with this?

"Wait-" Firouz said slowly, still recovering from the shock of the revelation. "When did you arrive exactly?"

Dim-Dim smiled sadly at the curly man, understanding the purpose of his question. "We crossed the portal this morning. Today was day one."

"That means you've only got two days left!" Doubar exclaimed, feeling totally helpless.

Suddenly, Sinbad's head jerked up. "I don't understand! Why can't you simply stay in this world instead of crossing that goddamn portal again?"

Ignoring Sinbad's harshness, Dim-Dim simply answered "I am an old man Sinbad. I have no desire to face the dark forces of this world. I do not have the strength anymore. I only came back so I could protect the box by putting a powerful spell on it, but that's it."

"So you're practically saying you're never going to come back! What about those who need you? What about your wife? You're just going to leave her behind!" Sinbad snapped. Doubar tried to calm his brother down but it was no use. It was like throwing a glass of water on a fire that had already consumed half of your house. Maeve covered her face in her hands, knowing that even though things looked pretty bad right now, they would only get uglier in the next two days.

Coming to her husband's rescue, Cairpra rose from her seat and declared in her usual firm voice. "Calm down young one. I love my husband more than anything in this world but I do not wish him dead! If he is safer in the other realm, then that's where I wish him to be! I do not want him to risk exposure and death while the dark forces are growing stronger! If Dim-Dim came back out in the open, he would be their main target!"

Sinbad just stared at the old couple. He knew she was speaking the truth but suddenly he remembered something. "Alright, but he's the one they'd be after-" he pointed at Dim-Dim. "-not Maeve! So why can't she stay?" he exclaimed. He was slowly giving up his fight to stay calm since he had no other way of dealing with the situation than to shout angrily.

"That is her decision to make." Dim-Dim answered quietly, while Maeve prepared herself for a rough arguing.

Seeing that everybody was waiting for her explanation, she began "My training isn't yet completed and I wish to finish it once and for all." She avoided any eye contact with the crew since she knew that the only thing she would read in their gaze would be confusion and disappointment.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Sinbad threw his hands up in the air in desperation and began pacing again, but he turned around almost immediately and put his hands on the table, leaning over to face Maeve. "You've been trapped in that parallel universe for a whole year and you're telling me you're willing to go back there!" He looked straight at her, dead serious. "You better have a damn good reason to, Maeve!" It almost sounded like a threat, but Maeve held his gaze.

"Little brother, that's enough!" Doubar's thunderous voice echoed in the room. Sinbad angrily stared at the fiery sorceress. He couldn't believe she would intentionally choose to go back there. He started pacing again.

"Now, Lass, why would you want to leave when you have the chance to come back with us?" Doubar asked the redhead, concern for both her and his brother colouring his voice.

She looked at him warmly and said in a low voice "The stronger I can become, the best chances I have of defeating Rumina."

At the sound of her words, Sinbad spun around. "Her again!" he laughed cynically, though there was nothing funny. "You're completely obsessed! You're willing to leave so you can get a better shot at her, but you refuse to stay to be with those who care about you and who can protect you? I mean, you must have grown stronger by the time you've been gone, right?"

"So did she!" Maeve snapped. "With Turok and Scratch's powers, who knows how powerful she has become! Can't you see that this is my only chance?" She slammed her fist on the table and rose from her seat to meet her captain's gaze.

"Wait, did you just say Turok?" asked Firouz, puzzled.

"Aye Firouz. He's alive." Maeve declared calmly.

"But that's impossible!" exclaimed Doubar. "Sinbad beheaded him two years ago!"

"Scratch brought him back from the dead." Maeve said, looking at her captain who was in mere shock.

Sinbad swallowed hard. Turok, alive!?! He was trying to analyse all the information he was getting, but he was so scared of losing Maeve that his fear was blinding his judgment. Near a breaking point, the captain decided to risk something…

"Alright." He began slowly. "So you're going to leave again in two days because you wish to complete your training so you can become as strong as you can be in order to defeat Rumina." He was resuming the last few statements that had been made in a matter-of-fact tone of voice.

Maeve eyed him suspiciously, not liking his sudden calm composure, nor where he was heading to.

"I think we're missing some key information here." he stopped, considering if he should go on or shut up. He opted for the first option. "Why are you so intent on killing Rumina?"

Sinbad regretted his words as soon as he said them as he watched the look of horror appear on her face as she stared right back at him. He was cornering her and he knew it, but he didn't know what else to do. He had the insatiable need to know what it was that was more important to her to make her choose to leave the crew again. He needed to know what it was that was more important than him.

Maeve was paralysed. She couldn't believe what he had just said. He was literally forcing her to reveal her biggest secret to the whole crew!

"How dare you?" she hissed, glaring at him. Sinbad looked down at the floor, feeling miserable.

Maeve's head was spinning. She wanted to run away as fast as could but she knew she had no way out of this. She cursed Sinbad silently. He would be disappointed because there was no way in hell she was going to say anything about her past, especially under stressful circumstances such as the ones they had to deal with right now. She was way too unsteady emotionally to even consider sharing her secret with anybody. Yet…as she looked at Doubar, Firouz and Rongar, she saw it on their face…The need. With what was at stake here, they needed to know. They deserved to know why she was choosing to go instead of staying.

She let out a defeated sight. Reluctantly, she walked to the balcony and opened the drapes to go outside. A moment later, she came back with Dermott perched on her arm. The crew looked at her quizzically. Sinbad cursed himself. He wished he could just tell her to forget about it, that he had no right of asking her to do this, but a part of him was dying to know what she had hidden from him all this time.

Maeve stood in front of her friends but didn't look at anybody. Instead, she focused on Dermott, stroking his feather. "Dermott-" she began, her voice shaking. "Dermott is my brother." She brought her gaze up to look at the crew defiantly. They stared at her in shock. True, they had always suspected a strong bond between the sorceress and the hawk, assuming he was somehow connected to the hatred Maeve had toward Rumina, but never had they thought about THIS kind of bond. Everything suddenly made sense to them.

The sorceress went on. "Rumina turned him into a hawk when I was young and the only way to reverse the spell is if I kill her." That was all they needed to know, Maeve decided, no need to go into details.

Sinbad looked at her, speechless. Her brother…He felt horribly bad for having cornered her this way and he wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and apologize but he knew she would never let him. Not after what he had just done.

Suddenly, Maeve stepped up to him, glaring at him. "Satisfied?" With that, she left the room, angrily slamming the door shut behind her. Dim-Dim and Cairpra then stood up as well, quietly leaving the room to give the crew the time to ponder everything.

Sinbad ran a hand through his hair furiously. Nobody spoke. They were all too stunned to pronounce anything. Sinbad poured himself a drink, but as he glanced down at his glass, he felt sick. Dermott was Maeve's brother… All this time she had been carrying this heavy and painful burden all on her own…He could clearly see that she blamed herself for what had happened to her brother and he wanted nothing more than to erase her sorrows. But he knew for a fact that she wouldn't let him. By cornering her like he did tonight, Sinbad had only managed to hurt her more. She probably wouldn't even talk to him before she left…*Damn it.* he thought, angry at himself. But did she even know what he had gone through during her absence, he wondered? Did she even know how much he cared about her? Flashes of the storm that had taken her away from him a year ago blinded him. He could feel her slipping from his grasp all over again, slowly and painfully. He cursed that storm. He cursed the world. He cursed life itself. Why was this happening? After all the good he had done in this world! Why? Anger and frustration surged through his body as he threw his glass on the stone wall, sending it shattering into million pieces.

The brutality of his move startled the crew, but they couldn't even begin to imagine what their captain was going through right now.

Breathing heavily, Sinbad left the room, hoping to clear his head somehow, leaving his friends alone in the big room.

Doubar watched his brother leave regrettably. If only the Lass knew what she was putting him through, he thought sadly. He dreaded the issues Maeve and Sinbad were going to have to work out during the next two days…

"He needs time…" Firouz said, squeezing the big man's shoulder to comfort him. Rongar shook his head, defeated.

"Aye Firouz, but we're kind of running out of it!" replied Doubar, very upset.

Meanwhile, Bryn was completely amazed at the events that had taken place. Never before had she seen Sinbad look so devastated and confused. But what surprised her the most was how scared he had looked the whole time; the fear that spread on his boyish face whenever he glanced at Maeve from across the table. That was definitely the look of a man who was scared to death of losing the woman he loved and who could nothing about it. Bryn prayed to god everything would work itself out…

They all stayed silent for a moment longer until Doubar grumpily declared "I need a drink!"


	9. Love VS Reason

_Hey guys! Sorry for the delay but this chapter was quite long to write and I felt like I couldn't cut it in half somehow...Anyway, I just wanted to let you know how grateful I am to you all for the wonderful support your reviews are providing me! _

_Thank you very much! And enjoy the new chapter!_

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****9. Love VS Reason**

Sinbad was pacing in his room like a caged tiger. He was going crazy. He was going mad. Despair and helplessness were the only feelings he could experience and he had the suffocating impression that somebody had ripped his heart out of his chest to squash it under their feet. He could hear his blood pressure throbbing in his head like thunder, driving him insane.

God, he hated it when he wasn't in control of a situation. Sinbad felt like the only thing he could do was stare from afar at the events that were taking place, unable to stop them, but hopelessness was a state of mind he refused to give in. Instead, he realised with a bitter taste, he was letting his anger get the upper hand, just like what he had learned to do in the past year when thinking about Maeve had become too painful. Frustration was surging through his whole body like electricity but the captain knew his reckless attitude wouldn't solve anything at this point.

Calmly, inhaling deeply and forcing himself to put up an objective mind, he managed to slow down his anxious breathing. The captain went outside on his balcony to let the fresh breeze of the sea wind caress his face to help him get a clear head. On the horizon, Sinbad could discern the port, swarming with an exuberant amount of ships. Disliking the fact that it seemed to be mirroring how messed up he was inside, he focused on the endless ocean, sparkling under the stars. The rhythmic movement of the waves appeased him and gave him the strength he needed to face the dreadful situation of the night.

Maeve was going to leave in two days. Two days! That tiny and unfair amount of time was scaring him to death. True, Sinbad had risked his life many times on his adventures, he had always laughed in the face of danger and he had fought off evil with a courage no one else possessed, but now, as he was about to lose the woman he loved, fear was paralysing him. It was like a whip whisking on his heart whenever he thought about her, which, at this point, was constantly. But what tormented him the most was her determination to leave. She seemed so confident about her decision that it pained him dearly to think that she wouldn't even consider returning to the crew. To him. For god knew how long.

Sinbad knew deep down that he wouldn't survive it if Maeve left again. Scratch had shown the captain what her first departure had turned him into and Sinbad had no desire to go back to that dark and confusing place. But even if he possessed all the will-power in the world, he needed Maeve to keep him in line, he needed her strength and her smile and her glare and her shouting…Hell, he needed her as much as he needed air in his lungs.

Wincing at the thought of what her second absence would inflict upon his soul, Sinbad made a decision. He clenched his jaw as he entrusted himself with a mission that held no plan B. If there was any way he could change Maeve's mind, he would. He swore to himself he would convince her to stay, no matter what. After all, maybe this was some sort of test faith was putting him through to see how strong his soul still was. Well Sinbad wouldn't give up without a fight! The captain would bring down all the obstacles to be with the woman he loved, even if it killed him.

Though he had absolutely no clue of how he would do it nor what arguments he would use, Sinbad left his room quietly, eager to confront Maeve in the ugliest arguing they would probably ever have in their life.

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Maeve was sitting on the floor of her room, her back leaning against her bed. She was gazing thoughtfully at the flames dancing in front of her in the fire place. It wasn't even cold in the room but Maeve needed the comfort fire could bring her, especially in this kind of situation. It helped her to think straight and it kept her from breaking down.

The Celtic sorceress was boiling. Not only was she angry at Sinbad for cornering her, but she was also consumed by a feeling she simply couldn't endure: doubt. Maeve was trying so hard to convince herself she was making the right decision by finishing her training that she had deliberately brushed any other alternative aside. However, all her shields were shattering whenever she glanced at Sinbad's blue eyes.

*Damn that sailor!* she thought angrily. Why was it he had so much influence on her? Maeve knew the answer to that. As much as she forced herself not to care, she knew she couldn't deny how she felt toward Sinbad. She loved him to no end but she knew that her feelings for him were clouding her better judgment in her quest. She had to think about Dermott's fate if she failed at defeating Rumina. That was all that mattered in the decision she had to make. Everything in her life had been about her brother, since the day he was turned into a hawk and it would be this way until he was restored to his true form. Nothing would get in the way of her quest, Maeve decided, glancing at Dermott who was perched on the bed stand above her. She could sense that he was protesting vigorously about her choice to leave the crew again, but she blocked her mind from him, refusing to have another painful argument tonight. Someday, he would thank her…

A knock on her door brought Maeve back on earth. She instantly knew who it was.

Not even bothering to wait for her permission, Sinbad stepped into her room. "Can I come in?" he asked.

"Do I have a choice?" Maeve sighed as she watched him already closing the door behind him.

He opened his mouth to speak, but Maeve cut him off before he could pronounce anything. "Look, Sinbad…Whatever it is you've come to tell me, it won't change anything. I made my decision." She looked up at him, almost pleading him to turn around and give up, though she was secretly hoping he wouldn't.

Sinbad nodded imperceptibly, biting his lower lips. This was going to be harder than he had envisioned. "Alright…But can you at least hear me out?" He grabbed the chair that was under a small desk and sat in front of her, aside from the fire place.

Before Sinbad began to talk, he took the time to study Maeve carefully, mesmerised at how beautiful she was in the dim light provided by the fire. Her furrowed brow told him she was rather angry and upset and Sinbad guessed it was probably because of the secret he had forced her to reveal to the crew in Omar's headquarters. The captain felt miserable.

"I'm sorry." He said, looking at the sorceress with all the regret he could possibly show her.

Maeve made a small nod and glanced up at her captain, silently letting him know that her forgiveness would be hard to earn. Even though Sinbad had anticipated her reaction, he still felt horribly bad. But he couldn't change the past and it was time to focus on the present. He rubbed the palms of his hands together and breathed in deeply. This had to work. God, it had to…

"Do you remember the last time we encountered Rumina?" he asked, glancing at Dermott perched above his mistress. He still couldn't believe he was actually her brother…

Maeve frowned, inviting him to go on, curious to see where he was heading.

"Do you remember how close we came to defeating her?" Sinbad watched her intently to see if she was getting what he wanted her to understand. Seeing her thoughtful gaze staring at the flames in front of her, he went on, hoping to awake some sort of hope inside her. "You were still an apprentice and yet you proved to everybody how strong you were and that you could match her powers-"

Maeve realized the purpose of his speech and she shook her head, ready to argue. Sinbad cut her off "No. Let me finish… My point is, with all the knowledge you have acquired from your training during the last year, I don't see why you would fail at defeating Rumina if you came back now." He glanced at her, holding his breath for her response.

She spoke quietly, noticing how unsteady he was. "Maybe…but I can't take that risk. I won't. And if I can't beat her, then at least I'll know that I did everything in my power to try and stop her from arming other innocents." Maeve realised she was the one she was trying to convince by saying that, not Sinbad.

"Maeve…didn't I promise you once that we'd defeat Rumina?" Sinbad asked softly, slightly insisting on the "we".

"Aye…" she whispered, glancing up at him sadly, recalling their intimate conversation after Rumina's hideout had burst into flames on Skull Mountain. It seemed so long ago…

"I meant it." Sinbad was close enough to touch her. He shifted on his seat and brought his hand up to her face and traced her jaw line with his fingers gently. "You're not alone in this Maeve. You and Dermott are part of the crew and whatever happens to one member affects all of us." At this moment, Dermott flipped his wings to perch on the frame above the fire place, right beside Sinbad's head. He screeched loudly, obviously in accord with the captain's statement.

"See! Even Dermott agrees with me!" Sinbad pointed out, happy to get some support. Maeve glared at her brother, sending him a silent warning. Giving up, the hawk took off through the open drapes leading out to the balcony. He knew that when her sister's mind was made up, there was no point in trying to change it.

"But this is not your fight!" she declared firmly, bringing her gaze back to her captain. "I can't ask you and the crew to risk your lives for a burden that is not yours to bear."

"Rumina is also our enemy Maeve! After everything that she has put us through, don't you think that we want to defeat her as much as you do?" Sinbad was beginning to lose his nerves a little. "We can defeat her and sooner or later, we will. I just…I don't want you to face her alone. It's way too dangerous. If you come back with us, maybe with Bryn's powers you can-" He didn't have time to finish because Maeve cut him off.

"Sinbad…" Maeve was growing tired of this argument. Standing up suddenly, she declared "This is useless! I'm going. End of discussion."

Sinbad stood up as well and spat back "No, you're not!"

"Is that an order?" Maeve laughed, both amused and sad at his desperate sight. He looked like a fragile little boy, angry that things weren't going his way.

"I'm still your captain so what do you think?" Sinbad knew he sounded pathetic, but hell, he was running out of options.

"You can't order me around and you know it." Maeve defied her captain. This argument was going nowhere and they both knew it. They were just trying to buy time.

"Aye, I forgot how stubborn you are! Talking to you is like talking to a damn stone wall!" Sinbad shouted.

"Oh and I suppose that makes you a relatively easy-talking person!" Maeve snapped. "I'm leaving Sinbad! Face it!"

"Not if I can do something about! If I have to tie you up to main mast to keep you from going, I will!" Sinbad took a step closer to her, threateningly.

They defied each other for long time, both aware that their argument was pointless. Putting a distance between them, they calmed down a little and let their frustration attenuate. They had to come up with another way to cope with the situation but arguing and bickering was all they knew!

Maeve ran her hand in her hair, exasperated. "Look…I appreciate you're concern-" she said, not meeting his gaze. Then she turned her head to him and sighed loudly, seeming exhausted. "-but I just want all of this to be over."

"We all do Maeve…" Sinbad's voice was soft and coloured with compassion.

"No, you don't understand." Maeve shook her head vigorously. She paced around the room as she went on. "Dermott…he's been trapped in this form for too long…It's enough! I can't take it anymore! Can't you see that he needs me?"

Seeing the distress on her pleading face, Sinbad lowered his gaze to the floor. She blamed herself so much for what had happened to her brother…Sinbad wished he could take part of her guilt away but he knew that there was nothing he could do. Piece by piece, hope was leaving him. He didn't know what argument to bring on to make her change her mind, and time was ticking. However, there was another point he hadn't brought up yet, but he was scared to death of her reaction and how it would affect their relationship. It was a dangerous edge to wander on. But at this point, he had nothing to lose…except her.

"I need you too." Sinbad whispered, meeting her gaze.

Maeve lost herself in his sea-blue eyes. During the whole conversation, she had feared this. Giving in to their feelings would only worsen the situation. It would only make their separation more unbearable. They couldn't give in. They simply couldn't. They had to keep on pretending, for both their sakes, just like the old times. That's why Maeve decided to stick to what they always did in those situations: denial.

"No you don't." she spat back.

Sinbad was startled by her sudden change of voice. She sounded almost harsh. The captain cursed himself for getting emotional with her. He should have known this would happen…she was closing in on him again.

Maeve saw the pained look on his face but forced herself to go on. "I believe you've been keeping quite a good company at every port..." She cocked her eyebrows at him defiantly. "I don't see why you would need me when you can have all the girls at your feet every time you dock somewhere." Maeve was well aware that what she had just said was some sort of indirect confession of her feelings for him. The simple fact that she was bothered by all the women he had met was giving him proof of that.

Sinbad winced at her comment, though he knew he deserved it. She was referring to all the one-night stands he had had over the year she had been gone. He could see that she was obviously hurt by it but all those hussies hadn't meant anything and he deeply regretted every single one of them. Sinbad had used those girls as a getaway form the pain Maeve's absence had caused him. Somehow Maeve knew that, Sinbad was sure of it. But if she wanted to fight and hurt herself during the process, it was her choice, but Sinbad was done denying anything so he chose to tell her the whole truth. He wouldn't play along with her little game because he if did, that meant she would get exactly what she wanted.

Sinbad slowly walked up to the Celtic sorceress. "You're right."

Maeve frowned, caught off guard by his honesty. Her heartbeat began accelerating at each step he took closer to her. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. Maeve could do nothing but stand there, unable to move, and listen to her captain whose expression was dangerously serious.

"You're right." Sinbad repeated. "I bedded a lot of women in the past year. I won't deny that." Then, looking straight at her, he added firmly "But it was your name I cried out." He took a step closer, bringing their faces only inches apart and he finished in a whisper. "_Every. Single. Time._"

Maeve completely froze. He was so close…She could feel his warm breath on her skin and the heat that was irradiating from his body, drawing her to him like a magnet. The attraction was so strong that Maeve felt herself giving in, tired of resisting. But the voice of reason in her head brought her back to reality.

She backed away, confused. "Stop." She mumbled. "I think you should go." She turned away from him, avoiding his lustful gaze at all cost.

Sinbad clenched his jaw and nodded. He had failed the first round. For tonight, arguing with her was over, due to one of stupid moves. But the cat was out of the bag. He thought that by admitting his feelings to her (in a rather unusual way) it would somehow make her open up to him or reconsider her alternatives, but instead, she was isolating herself. Maeve wanted him to go, but Sinbad couldn't move. He was scared to death of leaving her because something in his gut told him that if he did, it would be the last chance he would be given with her.

Sinbad made one last attempt. "Look at me Maeve." He ordered her in his usual authoritarian captain voice. When she didn't flinch, he tried again, more rudely. "Look at me, damn it!"

Slowly, Maeve turned around, forcing herself to hold his longing gaze.

"What do you see?" he asked her in the simplest way ever.

Maeve looked down at her hands and said in a small yet confident voice "I see Sinbad the Sailor wasting his time, fighting for a lost cause."

"Then you didn't look hard enough. You should have seen a simple sailor, desperately trying to convince the woman he loves more than anything in the world to come back to him." With that, Sinbad painfully headed for the door.

Maeve felt the tears coming up as she watched his back. She had a dread feeling in her stomach and the only thing she wished for at the moment was to tell him how much she loved him too. Didn't he have the right to know? Yes he did. But telling him would only torture them both. Two lovers who just admit their feelings for each other but who are going to be forced to live their love separately in two days…Maeve wouldn't survive it.

Sinbad grabbed the doorknob but could do nothing but stare at it blankly. The simple thought of going back to his room knowing he was going to lose Maeve in two days was torturing him to no end. Without her, he felt like an empty shell…If he couldn't live with her, then he was slowly going to die from the inside, just like the previous year. Only this time, he would be plagued with the fact that he could have somehow convinced her to stay if he had only handled things differently. The captain would be consumed by thoughts like *What if I had said or done this or that? Then would she have stayed?* It would drive him crazy! He had to do something. Anything. Maeve wasn't even gone and yet he already felt all messed up inside, his heart and his soul refusing to face the most dreadful eventuality of her departure.

Sinbad's grip on the doorknob was so tight, his knuckles were turning white. He wouldn't let her win, not this time.

"I can't do this-" he spun around and in two steps, he had pulled Maeve by the waist and cupped her face with his hand, claiming her lips in a passionate kiss.

Maeve was surprise at the rapidity of his move and as soon as his lips found hers, she felt all the barriers she had attempted to put up between them shatter. His warm and firm embrace was where she belonged and she knew it. However, though she didn't fight back, she didn't fully respond to his kiss either, her mind still analysing the situation and trying to decided whether to put an end to it or not.

Sinbad poured all the love he had for her in the kiss, attempting to show her how much he needed her and how much his survival depended on her. He held her close to his body as if it was a matter of life and death, kissing her as if it might be the last time he ever saw her. God, he loved her so much! Sinbad had never experienced this kind of fierce passion for any woman before, and it proved him just how much he and Maeve were meant to be together.

Maeve was having an inner debate with herself. Her heart was longing to give in to Sinbad's touch but her head was screaming that she should stop right now, before one of them got hurt. If they went on, the situation could become very dangerous and it would make things even more complicated than they already were. They had to stop. Now.

Suddenly, Maeve tore herself away from Sinbad's embrace, gasping for air. Without a word, she quickly left her own room, closing the door behind her.

Sinbad just stood there, unable to move and completely defeated. He could still feel her warm body pressed against his and her soft lips brushing against his. This was it. It was over. He had lost her. Tears blurred his vision as his heart slipped into the dark place it had grown so fond of when Maeve had fallen overboard. He hit the hard wall beside him with his fist in an attempt to let out his hopelessness but he cursed loudly as the pain from the strong punch surged through his arm.

Meanwhile, Maeve was on the other side of the door, her forehead leaning on the hard wood. She was panting heavily and she was on the verge of tears. She bit her lips when the air left her lungs as she heard the loud thump of Sinbad's punch on the wall. The pain was so unbearable…He had just given her his heart and she had pushed him away cruelly, not even bothering to tell him how much she loved him back. He had declared his love to her! Sinbad loved her!

Maeve was being torn in two between her brother and her captain. If she stayed with the crew, she took the risk of condemning her brother to remain a hawk forever, but if she left, she would lose Sinbad and that scared her to death. She was so confused. Her mind and her heart were in constant debate and it was a suffocating feeling. How was she supposed to chose?

Suddenly, Dermott flew in by the window next to her.

*Go back in there Maeve.* her brother literally ordered her. Maeve was about to protest but Dermott immediately cut her off.

*No, you listen to me. Whether you choose to stay or leave doesn't matter right now Sis. What matters is what your heart is telling you to do. Focus on what you want _right now_. You can't live always pondering the consequences your actions will have in the future Maeve.* Dermott hoped he could knock some sense into his sister before it was too late.

A tear rolled down the sorceress' cheek. Her hand was shaking on the doorknob. Dermott went on softly.

*And if you choose to leave, then I suggest you spend all the time you still have with him. You have two days to give him a reason to wait for your return, don't waste them.*

Maeve shut her eyes close, hating the fact that her brother's words were true.

*Go back in there and love him. You might not get another chance.* With that, Dermott flapped his wings and took off.

Maeve breathed in deeply and raised her head, staring at the cold wooden door. She could almost see Sinbad through it, standing exactly where she had left him, with his heart broken, almost beyond repair. Following her brother's advice, she shut her mind off and let her heart take over. Love, passion and lust surged through her body as she crashed the door open.

"What am I doing-?" she exclaimed as she threw herself in Sinbad's arms, kissing him fiercely.

Sinbad reacted immediately by wrapping his arms solidly around her waist, holding her close to him and his heart skipping beats. Had she changed her mind? Had she decided to stay? Sinbad wished he had the answer to that but something told him that the only decision Maeve had made just now was to give in to her feelings.

Maeve wrapped her arms tightly around her captain's neck and intertwined her fingers in his hair, bringing his head closer to hers. She wanted to feel him so badly. His warm embrace was something she had longed for during the past year and now that she had his body pressed against hers, she wanted nothing more than to forget about the world's existence.

Maybe they were going to be separated again, and if they were, then they both had every intention to make this night worth it. To hell with everything else!

Tonight, it was just the two of them.

Tilting his head to get better access to her mouth, Sinbad backed her up against the wall and pinned her under him. The young captain knew they would need to come up for air soon but he couldn't bring himself to put an end to the kiss, afraid to let go.

Pressed hard against the wall, Maeve could feel every facet of Sinbad's body, melting into hers. She traced his jaw line with her fingers, wondering why she had tried to fight her feelings for him all this time. Loving Sinbad was everything but wrong. Nothing felt so right than this at the moment.

Slowly, they parted, breathing heavily. They leaned on each other's forehead, still dazed from the passionate kiss. Sinbad brought up his hand and cupped her face gently, bringing his gaze up to meet hers. They looked at each other intensely, both silently agreeing that there was no going back now. What was about to happen was inevitable. It had been ever since Sinbad had kissed her on the dance floor earlier in the evening. This night belonged to them, and even if Maeve was still going to leave, right now it didn't matter. They had postponed this moment for too long.

Maeve's head was spinning. All the emotions that she had tried to suppress all those years were now surging though her body with full force. As she lost herself in Sinbad's blue eyes, her hands worked on his blue vest and on his shirt. Her heart was being consumed by desire and she wished for nothing more than getting rid of everything separating her from the burning skin of her captain.

When Sinbad's shirt hit the ground, Maeve's hands began exploring. They caressed his back softly, tracing every single one of his muscles. As their tongues danced together, Sinbad unlaced her brown vest and sent it flying in the room. Circling his arms around her waist to bring her close, he trailed small kisses down her neck and collarbones, sending little shivers of delight up and down her spine. Maeve locked her hands in his hair and moaned in his ears as she felt him sucking at her skin.

Sinbad felt like he could walk on air. This was Maeve he was kissing! Two years ago, he never would have thought about this actually being possible, but here he was, holding her closely to him and loving her passionately. He found her mouth again and let his hands slid from her hips to her thighs. Following his hint, Maeve kicked her boots off and wrapped her legs around her captain's waist. Sinbad lifted her up and made his way toward her bed, never breaking the kiss.

He sent his boots flying somewhere in the room and he sat on the bed, with Maeve astride his laps. Slowly, they parted to get some air, their foreheads leaning on each other. Sinbad's hands roamed up and down her thighs as Maeve's fingers lingered on his shoulders and his chest.

He had to say something, anything to ease up the building tension between them because if he didn't, he would explode from the pressure.

"I missed you so much…" Sinbad whispered as he cupped her face, gently stroking her cheek with his thumb. His voice was shaking.

Maeve gently took his hand in hers and kissed it, whispering back in a small wavering voice as well: "I missed you too…"

Then, both watering from the emotion, brown met blue. The three words that neither one of them could pronounce were silently exchanged between them. Maeve and Sinbad kissed each other again, softly and passionately, like a true lover's kiss. It was like two halves of the same soul colliding again.

Sinbad brought her closer to him, if that was even possible, and Maeve wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. For a minute there, a rush of fear surged through their bodies as they simultaneously thought about what would happen in two days. As a result, they both tightened their grip on each other, terrified to let go. The kiss quickly intensified and they fell back on the bed.

Bathed by the silver rays of the moon shining upon them through the balcony drapes, Sinbad and Maeve loved each other passionately for the rest of the night, both silently wishing for the earth to stop turning to freeze this magic moment forever.


	10. Afterwards

**10. ****Afterwards**

Knock, knock, knock.

Maeve stirred. Her senses slowly came back to her as the distant noise echoed in the room. Tiredly, she opened her eyes but closed them immediately because the rays of the sun shining through the balcony drapes blinded her. Grimacing, she cuddled closer to the cushion she was holding and hid her face in it. She had no desire to awake from her peaceful and cozy slumber.

Knock, knock, knock.

Maeve groaned. She was about to shout something at the annoying sound when she felt the cushion move. It shifted under her and tightened its warm grip around her waist. Realisation dawned on Maeve. This was no cushion she was holding. It was a man. It was Sinbad.

Knock, knock, knock.

As every inch of her body sparked in alert, her head bolted up and she met her captain's eyes. Maeve saw her own surprise and confusion mirrored on his face. Sinbad, who had just emerged from sleep, was astonished to find his sorceress all cuddled up against his chest. When he had fallen asleep last night, he had half expected to find an empty bed the next morning because he knew that if Maeve woke up before him, she would never be able to stay.

Part of him was grateful for the fact that she was still here because that meant they had the opportunity to discuss the events of last night, but…

"Oh dear…" Maeve exclaimed as she jumped off the bed, wrapping the covers around herself.

…but as Sinbad saw how shaken up she was, he dreaded the argument that was about to take place.

"Oh my god…why did we…this is not happening…we shouldn't have…this is all wrong…" Maeve was storming around the room, picking up her clothes and mumbling incessantly. She was about to lose it and she knew it, but she gave up trying to calm down since it was impossible. What had they done? What had SHE done?

Sinbad put his pants back on as he watched her going crazy in the room and he couldn't help to think how gorgeous she looked, all wrapped up in the white covers, her flaming curls cascading on her shoulders. He smiled absent-mindedly as he recalled how wonderful last night had been. But noticing how feisty the redhead was, Sinbad decided to let her cool down a little before he began to talk.

Knock, knock, knock.

"WHAT?!?" Maeve exclaimed, angry to be disturbed as she was trying to make things make sense in her head.

"Maeve, are you there?" It was Doubar. "Sorry to bother you, Lass, but have you seen Sinbad by any chance?"

The Celtic sorceress stopped dead in her track as she desperately tried to think of something clever to say.

"The Caliph is waiting for us in his headquarters…" Doubar added.

"We'll be right there Doubar." Sinbad answered calmly.

There was a short silence behind the door. "Ok then…" Doubar chuckled and walked away.

Maeve, completely stunned, turned around to face Sinbad.

"Are you…" She threw him his shirt that she had just picked up. "…completely crazy?!?"

"Alright, just calm down-" Sinbad declared, catching his shirt at the last minute since he was busy tying up his sash around his waist. Finally, the good old feisty and shouting Maeve was back.

"Calm down?!?" Maeve exclaimed as she glared at him. "You just literally told Doubar about what happened last night when we didn't even have the chance to talk about it and you want ME to calm down!?!"

She ran her hand in her hair furiously, but before Sinbad could say anything, she went on:

"This is bad…This is really bad…" Upset, Maeve sat on the edge of the bed and sighed loudly, completely defeated.

Putting on his shirt, Sinbad walked up to her and lifted her chin up.

"Are you done?" he asked her, both amused and serious. He could clearly see how hard she was trying to cope with the situation.

Maeve brought her gaze up to meet his. The calm and peacefulness she saw in his sea-blue eyes mesmerised her. How could he be so serene? Now, after last night, they were doomed to suffer the unbearable separation that was to come…Now that they had come clean about their feelings, they were going to lose each other all over again…But even if all those dreadful thoughts were invading her mind, her captain's eyes had an appeasing effect on her nerves and after a few deep breathes, she felt steadier. Sinbad sat next to her.

"We're gonna be ok." He said softly as he brushed a strand of hair behind her ears.

"Are you gonna be able to tell me that again tomorrow night?" Maeve asked her captain, not really sure if she wanted an answer.

Sinbad looked at the floor. He didn't want to think about what would happen tomorrow. He didn't want to face the fact that she was probably going to leave.

"I don't know." He admitted. "But that's tomorrow night's matter." He paused, looking at her with loving eyes. Then he went on, a surprising confidence in his voice. "Right now, we're ok." He caressed her cheek gently with his thumb and leaned in to kiss her. Sinbad half expected her to draw back since he didn't know how she would react to this new relationship they had.

Maeve didn't pull away as her captain's lips found hers but kissed him back fully and tenderly. The truth in his words had hypnotised her completely, making her give in once again. Something marvellous had changed between them last night. How could it have been otherwise? It was as if the long separation of the previous year had only made them closer than ever. There were no barriers anymore, no more denying, no more insinuations, no more games…The bond between them had turned into something so much deeper and purer, and both of them could feel it. Nothing had ever felt so good, like it was meant to be.

When they parted, Sinbad looked deeply in her eyes, searching them.

"Maeve…tell me..." He swallowed hard, gathering his courage. "Please…tell me you don't regret last night…" Sinbad knew that she was blaming herself for the pain they were both going to endure during her second absence, but he needed to know that she didn't think of last night as a mistake.

Maeve looked at her captain tenderly. Of course, she hadn't planned for last night to happen, in fact, she had wished to avoid it at all cost, but here she was, wrapped in the covers in which they had made love, and as she looked in Sinbad's eyes, the love she saw in them erased all the doubts she had ever had. She wasn't alone anymore. She would never be. Even if she left.

"I love you." The words had left her mouth before she even knew what she was saying.

Sinbad's surprise matched her own. He had to blink back a few times to make sure his ears hadn't tricked him, but as he looked intensely at her dark brown eyes, he knew she had meant it. Coming from her, those three words were a huge step. They were sealing her destiny, intertwined with his. At this instant, Sinbad had never been more sure than anything in his life. She was the one. Sinbad immediately drew her to him to sit her on his laps and captured her lips in a passionate kiss. Bringing his hand up to cup her face, he gently rubbed her cheek with his thumb and pulled away just enough to gaze at her.

"I love you too." For a moment, they lost themselves in each other's eyes, silently pondering the implications of what they had said. Then, their lips found each other's again in a soft kiss, a kiss of commitment. Now, wherever the path they were on may lead, they were on it together, even if in less than two days the route would part.

When they broke the kiss, neither of them moved. They remained locked up in their embrace, simply holding each other, letting all the tension from the previous day leave their bodies. God only knows how long they remained like this, simply clinging to each other. They breathed in each other deeply, knowing that this was the scent they would always come back to. This was where they belonged. Together.

After a few moments, Maeve lifted her head from Sinbad's shoulder.

"They're waiting for us." She whispered softly, remembering what Doubar had said.

"Aye..." Sinbad sighed, half-heartedly loosening his grip on his beautiful sorceress. Maeve reluctantly got up and finished gathering her stuff while Sinbad fixed his headband and put on his boots.

"You know..." Maeve began. "This doesn't excuse the fact that you had the nerve to inform Doubar, and the rest of the crew might I add, about our new...status!" She raised an accusing eyebrow at him and placed her hands on her hips, like she did whenever she was annoyed at something.

Sinbad winced at her comment and at the truth that it held. He was well aware that his tall red-headed beauty was not one to easily share everything in her life, and now that he thought about it, he too, had no intention to suffer the endless teasing the crew would probably give them. Since he didn't have anything to say for himself, Sinbad only smiled at her, a smile that said "Yeah...that wasn't really smart, was it?"

"So give me ONE good reason not to fry you right now!" Maeve went on as she laced her brown vest in her back. Searching for a cocky remark, a snide appeared on Sinbad's face.

"Well my dear sorceress, if you fry me, last night won't be able to repeat itself, and we both know that you want it to!" He smirked.

Maeve's mouth dropped open in shock but she closed it quickly, refusing to let him see that he was right. Narrowing her eyes, she stepped up to him, smiling mischievously.

"Alright then...From now on, dear captain, every breath you take is a gift from me!" She smirked as she arranged the collar of his white shirt. Then she turned around and headed for the door. Sinbad shook his head and smiled.

"Duly noted!" He shouted at her as he followed her outside.


End file.
